Millennials are traveling more in recent times. They also are engaging in more activities while traveling. Surveys tell us that, in any destination, Hawaii included of course, millennials are finding more “happiness” and satisfaction by engaging in more activities. They want to avoid traditional travel and get off the beaten track. Traveling is viewed as a pathway to self-discovery and fitness. Adventure travel is getting bigger for millennials. They want unique and memorable experiences for themselves and their families.
No surprise, millennials are researching trips from many different information sources. Friends and family still are the most used sources but social media and websites have grown significantly as sources of travel information in the last five or so years. Travel agencies have responded to this trend by offering clients more personalized choices of diverse travel experiences.
Tom Barefoot’s Tours has partnered with and supports travel agencies, property managers and owners competing with online travel agencies (OTAs) for activity and tour bookings from millennials. No doubt future competition in the travel industry will increase for activity and tour bookings by the next generation of travelers, Generation Z (born between 1995 and 2015), digital natives that have grown up with smartphones and Wi-Fi.
Smartphones are making a huge difference in the way that activities and tours are researched and booked by Gen Y and others. Skift Research findings say that tours and activities tend to be one of the last components of a trip actually booked despite consumers’ desires for unique and authentic experiences. More than 1 out of 3 travelers use mobile phones to book a tour or activity while already in a destination for a vacation. Thus travel agencies, property managers and owners often are missing out on revenue from activity bookings. But not the affiliates of Tom Barefoot’s Tours who earn commissions no matter when or where travelers book activities using their smartphones.
In the context of these trends, Tom Barefoot’s Tours has proven that it is ready and able to support its travel industry partners. Our partners get a Tom Barefoot’s Tours website with their name on it to link to their own website and digital media. This website is designed to offer millennials and other smartphone users a huge variety of activity options and authentic Hawaii experiences. It includes an “Activity Match” feature so that every generation of traveler — millennials, baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) and Gen X (born between 1965 and 1979) — can satisfy their travel tastes, special interests, craving for experiences and practical travel planning needs.